The joys of home entertainment

Save money when going out

Eating can be an expensive business! Whole industries have risen around the need to eat and be entertained. However it can be expensive. The following article contains some top tips for alternatives that will save you money.

Eating out can be expensive. Unless you've got a discount card or a special two for one deal then a meal in London can easily set you back £20 per head. If you're going for a particularly nice meal prices can be astronomical. 

However, if you don't want a boozey night out and have seen everything in the cinema then a meal out is an easy social activity. But you're currently reading so I'm assuming you're looking for the money saving angle, right?!

Alternative to paying to eat out

Many people don't bother entertaining at home as its a hassle and can often work out just as expensive as eating out. If you're buying meat such as a shoulder of lamb you can be easily set back £20 to £30. Understandably this can be off putting...shall we just go out for dinner then or get a takeaway? No!

Why not move away from the obvious meat and two veg type meals and try serving your guests something a little bit more basic. Why not have a jacket potato party? I know it sounds ridiculous and that in joking but I'm not. Get some jacket potatoes and stick them in the oven for 2 hours on low. Then prepare loads of fun fillings and side dishes for people to create their own jacket potatoes. Why not have a few different types of grated cheeses and soft cheeses, have different butters such as garlic and chilli, mash some tuna, have a side salad, make some pesto, have a plate of smoked fish. The possibilities are endless.

Alternatively you could do something similarly cheap and cheerful with make your own pizzas. You could even buy the pizza bases. Just prepare a range of toppings and let your guest get creative. You could even do something similar with bagels.

The idea is that you can have your friends round, not spend a fortune, save money by not going out, not spend an awful lot of time preparing, and have fun with your guests!


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